Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Short, snappy, light, TDS gathers the latest automotive news from around the world and places it in one spot. Stories are summarized in a single sentence accompanied by a link for those seeking more information.
I spent most of the day and night flying to Japan and to say it’s been a long day would be an understatement. So let’s get into it.
? Ram recalled 72,509 trucks, including the 1500 and heavy duty 2500 and 3500 lineup along with the 4500 chassis cub trucks, due to digital gauge clusters potentially being blank due to a software issue.
? Rivian announced a new purple color called Borealis for the Tri- and Quad-Motor R1S and R1T as a limited-time $3,000 option.
? Kia teased a new car that looks to be an EV and potentially a Stinger successor, but no details were given.
? Scout’s going to source its ladder frame for its upcoming SUV and truck from a new joint venture between suppliers Sodecia and Aapico, which will build a new 400,000-square-foot facility in Orangeburg, South Carolina to the tune of $120 million and is said to create 392 new jobs.
?? A manual Acura NSX restomod, which was a collaboration between Pininfarina and JAS Motorsport, debuted to mixed design reviews.
? The 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E arrived quietly with rear door grab handles, long a complaint of my children as a matter of fact, without much fanfare or anyone noticing.
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As Director of Content and Product, Joel draws on over 15 years of newsroom experience and inability to actually stop working to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media. He’s also a World Car Award juror.